Americans are deeply enamored with the idea of overcoming
obstacles to succeed. Movies are made and stories are told about
heroes who persevere to achieve their improbable goals, while more
ordinary folk struggle from cradle to cubicle, devoting more time
to fixing their shortcomings than to developing their
strengths.
But guess what -- that doesn't work.
In the 2001 New York Times bestseller Now, Discover
Your Strengths, Gallup ignited a global conversation about the
idea that success is built on identifying and developing the things
you do best rather than shoring up weaknesses. That book introduced
the first version of StrengthsFinder, an online assessment that
helped readers identify their top five talents and learn how to use
them to their advantage. To date, the assessment has been taken by
millions of people, translated into more than 20 languages, and
used by organizations in 100 different nations.
Now, StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath (Gallup Press;
Hardcover; February 2007) includes access to the updated and
upgraded assessment, making it more valuable to readers. Like the
initial version, readers can take the assessment online (http://sf2.strengthsfinder.com)
using the unique access code provided with each copy of the book.
However, this new version offers a more in-depth analysis of each
person's strengths. The updated assessment offers a new perspective
on how talents can emerge in different ways for each
individual.
Same talents, different results
So how can two people with the same top five talent themes
receive different results? This is the piece of the strengths
puzzle that becomes even clearer with the new assessment.
Personality affects how talent develops in each individual. The
series of statements in the assessment are designed to elicit
top-of-mind responses (by allowing just 20 seconds for each
response). These responses reveal individual differences in how one
person with a particular talent in his or her top five might
exhibit it differently than another person with the same top five
talents.
"These highly customized Strengths Insights will help you
understand how each of your top five themes plays out in your life
on a much more personal level," writes Rath, who penned the #1
New York Times bestseller How Full Is
Your Bucket? as well as Vital Friends.
"They describe what makes you stand out from the millions of people
we have studied."
Using strengths brings satisfaction
Among the many findings from Gallup's 40 years of research into
talents and strengths is that discovering your strengths is the
best road to happiness. How you respond to a simple yet provocative
statement like: "At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do
best every day" can tip the scales on whether you're engaged at
work. People who use their strengths every day are six
times more likely to be engaged on the job and three times
more likely to be happier with their lives in general. Not only do
engaged workers stay on the job longer -- saving millions in
training and turnover costs -- but they also get more done while
they are there. So when workers are able to apply their talents and
strengths at work, productivity also rises.
A sounding cry for talent
While the numbers kill the myth that perseverance can overcome
lack of talent, Gallup's research offers a sounding note of
triumph. It supports the notion that any time spent developing
natural, raw talent is most likely to lead to success. The formula,
according to Gallup, is talent (a natural way of thinking,
feeling, or behaving) multiplied by investment (time spent
practicing, developing skills, and building a knowledge base)
equals strength (the ability to consistently provide
near-perfect performance).
This new book, assessment, and Web siteare all about application
-- the next step in the strengths revolution that started more than
six years ago. StrengthsFinder 2.0 will change the way you
look at yourself -- and the world around you -- forever.
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Learn more about the StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment at http://sf2.strengthsfinder.com.
Each book comes with a unique code to access the assessment.